Ivory Fangs
by lily22
Summary: PG-13 rating, just in case. An AU fic about Yami, and... you'll just have to find out! Well, if you really must know, Yami's a vampire!
1. Yami

Chapter 1: Yami  
  
Author's Note: This story is a lot like the books by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, Shattered Mirror and In the Forests of the Night. Well, she's written more, but those are the ones I've read. Anyways, I thought they were really good, and decided to "borrow" some ideas from them. Is that a problem?  
  
This is definitely an AU fic.  
  
Oh yeah. All witches are going to be known as witches, including the male ones. I know they should be wizards, but I feel that witches suits this fic better, thank you very much. I do not own Yugioh, and as stated above, I don't exactly own the complete plot. Heh.  
  
Thoughts  
  
"Speech"  
  
'Thought Speech'  
  
_Emphasis_  
  
(Third Person Perspective)  
  
Only a few pieces left. Grandpa would be proud. A small boy sat on the floor, fitting together the pieces of a puzzle.  
  
Clink. Clink.  
  
The puzzles fit easily under his fingers, as if something was telling him exactly where to place each piece.  
  
Clink. Clink.  
  
The boy's name was Yugi. He was currently waiting for his grandfather, also his legal guardian, to come home from grocery shopping, but while he was waiting, he decided to work on his puzzle.  
  
Clink.  
  
Yugi slowed slightly, the excitement running through his veins. Who knew how long he had been working at his puzzle? It didn't matter now, though, because he was almost done. Just a few more pieces left. Only a few.  
  
Clink.  
  
Yugi reached slowly into the box. His hand met nothing. He looked down, and his eyes widened with surprise. There was only one puzzle piece left. He glanced at the puzzle pieces in his hand, all neatly fit together into the shape of a pyramid. There was a hole at the front. Yugi grabbed the last piece with shaky fingers, and firmly put it into the last spot.  
  
Clink.  
  
I'm done. This was a surprise to him. He'd been working on this puzzle for almost longer than he could remember, and all of a sudden, he was _done_.  
  
His astounding revelation was cut short, however, by a soft glowing light emitting from the puzzle in his hands. He looked down in shock to find that its light was almost blinding to look at. He looked away, and when he looked back, he nearly dropped the puzzle in surprise, because quite suddenly, he wasn't alone anymore.  
  
(Yami's Perspective)  
  
I'm out. I couldn't believe it. I was finally out of the puzzle, and in a real body again. I looked down at myself. I was really free. Free! FREE!!!! I nearly cackled with laughter, before remembering regaining my serious composure.  
  
I took a moment to gather in my surroundings. I felt the aura of a witch who had been here recently, but was now gone. This was no problem to me, as I was too strong for any witch to take on. Just in case, I quickly masked my own aura, as to appear to be a weakling, and of no threat to anybody. There were no other dangerous auras around me, merely humans.  
  
I concentrated on the one before me. He was close. I could hear his heart pumping wildly. I was specially attuned to such things that dealt with blood. Speaking of which, I was ravenous. This was a young human: easy prey with delicious blood. Sweet. I gazed down at him carefully. We were alone. It would be a simple thing to feed on him.  
  
As if sensing my thoughts, he slowly backed away from me, until his back bumped into the bed. I almost laughed at his fright. He crawled fearfully up on to his bed, never letting his fearful gaze leave mine.  
  
I sat down on the edge of his bed, enjoying his panic at my movement. He backed away further, into the wall, this time with no escape. He cowered, closing his eyes tightly. I grinned. I inched towards him, feeling the fear radiate off of his body.  
  
He trembled, letting out a whimper, and suddenly, I was reminded of my girls. My girls. I pushed that thought aside vehemently. That was past. Even so, this wasn't my prey. I remembered the deal I had made. I was supposed to be protecting him, not snacking on him!  
  
I reached out, and laid my hand on his shoulder, gently, or so I hoped. He tensed visibly, but when I made no move to harm him, he carefully looked up at me. I smiled, accidentally revealing my fangs.  
  
"Are... are you going to eat me?" He asked.  
  
I chuckled softly. "No."  
  
"Y-you're not?"  
  
I grabbed the small boy, and placed him on my lap. "No." I gently placed my arms around his still-quivering frame. "I was sent to protect you."  
  
He looked curiously at me. "Protect me? From what?"  
  
"You'll find out soon enough."  
  
"Oh." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Who are you?"  
  
"You may call me Yami." I smiled. That used to be my name. It was my name when I was with my family. Clara had called me that. Just thinking of her sent a pang of sadness through me. I would never be with her again.  
  
"Yami?" The small voice brought me out of my thoughts.  
  
I looked down at him, about to reply, when the door slammed. "Yugi! I'm home!" A voice rang up the stairs. Footsteps sounded, along with the occasional creak.  
  
Another human? Just for the heck of it, I tested the aura, and felt my nostrils flare. Before I could do anything, though, an elderly man burst through the door.  
  
"Hi, Grandpa!" Yugi said cheerfully, as if he often found himself in the arms of a mysterious stranger with fangs.  
  
Oh great. Yugi's grandfather is a vampire-hunter?  
  
Yugi's grandfather glanced at me. His eyes widened. "Vampire."  
  
I looked calmly at him, and replied just as bitterly, "Witch."  
  
"Yugi, get away from him." As if Yugi could if I didn't let him.  
  
Yugi, however, merely sat on my lap, looking bewildered. "Why?"  
  
The witch looked back my way. "I won't let you hurt him!"  
  
"As if you could stop me." Abruptly, I unveiled my vampiric aura, smirking as his eyes widened in surprise. I was the strongest vampire or vampire- hunter on this planet, and my aura proved it to him. 


	2. Kyrik

Chapter 2: Kyrik  
  
Author's Note: I don't own Yugioh, I don't own In the Forests of the Night, I don't own Shattered Mirror, I don't own the Eiffel Tower, but I do own this plot line, sort of.  
  
I dug into the old man's thoughts. What did he know about me? To my surprise, he knew a lot. It seemed that I had become a legend. I was still the most powerful, though my archrival still was close. I frowned inwardly. What was he doing still alive? I loathed him with every fiber of my being, and the hatred was thrown right back at me. He loathed me for becoming stronger than him, though it was actually his own fault that I ever became a blood-sucking fiend.  
  
~~~Flashback~~~  
  
"Dakid! What's up?" I, being the naïve little boy I was at age 15, decided to befriend Dakid. What a mistake. Dakid had red eyes and abnormally large canines (the teeth, not the dogs). That should have scared me away, but it didn't. I just figured that it was some sort of genetic disorder, as well as the fact that he never looked a day older than 10, even though he told us all he was 20. I was soon to find out why.  
  
"Yami! Hey, I wanted to show you something." Dakid greeted me warmly, leading me away, towards an isolated part of town.  
  
"What is it?" I asked.  
  
"This." His friendly voice suddenly turned into a snarl, and he bared his fangs at me. Before I knew what was happening, twin needles sank into my neck, piercing through skin, flesh, and vein. As the blood flowed out, he drank hungrily, until I passed out from blood loss. My last conscious thought was, why?  
  
****  
  
I awoke some time later, though I had no clue how much time had passed. I lay sprawled on the floor, exactly where Dakid had left me. A note sat by my face.  
  
"Yami, I have given you the gift of immortality. You are now like me, above those weak humans of this world. Since you are no longer human, you have no need of a human name. I rename you, "Kyrik". Have fun, Dakid."  
  
A type of rage that I'd never known before flooded my half-empty veins, and I glared at the note, as if by willing it, the note would burst into flame. To my surprise, it did. I hastily dropped the burning paper, and stomped it out, venting the rage that I felt at that instant. I had trusted Dakid, and he decided to kill me. I might not have been dead, but I wasn't human anymore, and that was as good as dead.  
  
I never went back to my family. My parents could never have accepted who I was. Instead, I knew that I had to get revenge. I took advantage of the fact that I was a vampire, and trained myself to my full extent. I would become stronger than that piece of vermin who had taken my life with a simple feeding. I never did, however.  
  
~~~End flashback~~~  
  
I tore my mind from the past. My reminiscing had only taken a second, as being a vampire enabled speedy thinking. Instead, I glared at the man before me, who wasn't really a man. I opened my mouth to say something, but Yugi interrupted.  
  
"Grandpa? Yami? What's wrong?"  
  
I looked down at him and saw the confusion in his amethyst eyes. "I'm sorry, Yugi, but I am a vampire."  
  
"A vampire?" Yugi asked. "Cool! Are you a vampire, too?" He asked, turning to his grandpa.  
  
"No, Yugi. I am a witch, a vampire-hunter."  
  
Yugi began to look concerned. "A vampire-hunter? You're going to hunt Yami?"  
  
I chuckled. "He's not strong enough."  
  
"Vampires are evil, Yugi. They go around sucking the blood out of humans, merely to sustain themselves. Don't mix with them."  
  
"Evil?"  
  
"Not all vampires are evil!" I shot back. Especially... I thought to myself.  
  
~~~Flashback~~~  
  
After finding that I _couldn't_ find Dakid, I gave up the search, and concentrated on doing something. It seemed as if my life was purposeless, which really disturbed me. I tried a lot, but humans were naturally not acceptant of vampires, even if they themselves didn't know why. My luck changed, however, as I met Clara.  
  
Clara was a particularly weak vampire, shunned by vampire-kind, and obviously not able to fit in with humans. We somehow fell in love, and started a family. It was a stupid thing to do, tying myself down to someone else, but I loved her, and she loved me. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time.  
  
We had children: two daughters, named Alexis and Elodie. They were my girls. Those two were sweet and innocent, and unfortunately, were vampires. We didn't let that stop us, though, and raised them to the best of our knowledge. I loved my family with all of my heart, but that was the wrong thing to do.  
  
~~~End flashback~~~  
  
I shook myself out of it. I had to stop dwelling in the past!  
  
"But... Yami isn't evil. Are you?" Yugi looked up at me.  
  
"No." I replied firmly. I wasn't, was I?  
  
"Right." Yugi smiled suddenly. "He hasn't hurt me yet." It was actually quite shocking to see him thinking that way. How did he know that I wasn't going to hurt him? Being too trusting can be harmful, as my past experiences with Dakid proved. I closed my eyes softly. I needed a rest. I set Yugi down, and went back to the puzzle. The gloom bothered me less, now that I knew that I had a way out.  
  
Author's Notes: Okay. That was a pretty bad chapter. SORRY!!! I just wanted to give you guys a view on his past! Now, to clear some things up... Vampires continue looking the same age as when they're bitten. Yugi is pretty young, say ten or younger. I'm sure there's something else, but I can't remember. If there're any questions, just ask! 


	3. Hunt

Chapter 3: Hunt  
  
Author's Note: Never fear, Chibizoo! This fic shall not be like yours! I hope. Yours was great though, and to readers looking for a good read, look at Club 0013. That one was great! Of course, other Chibizoo works are just as spectacular, and I suggest you take a peek.  
  
Anyways, I don't own Yugioh; so don't bother suing. I just got my braces, and I'm sure they add on to the pain inflicted by teeth upon flesh.  
  
(Still Yami's Perspective, about 3:00AM)  
  
I silently exited the puzzle, careful not to wake the sleeping boy wearing it. I smiled, remembering the argument Yugi and his grandpa had had. Yugi had insisted on keeping the puzzle around his neck, but obviously, this idea didn't go too well with his grandfather. Not that it mattered, because Yugi won the argument.  
  
As I was about to step out of the room, I paused for a moment to admire the sleeping form on the bed. He was so innocent, so unlike me. He didn't deserve what was coming for him. So much like my girls...  
  
~~~Flashback~~~  
  
After Clara and I had settled down, I managed to get a job as a watchman on night duty, where I had no contact with humans. It was the best I could do, and the meager money I made was enough to support the four of us, even if we didn't have all of the luxuries other families had.  
  
One morning, coming home from work, I sensed that something was wrong the instant I left. Hurrying home, I was startled to find that from a distance, I could see smoke. As I neared the house, I could see that it was completely on fire. And a very familiar someone was waiting for me...  
  
"You!" I snarled angrily.  
  
Dakid merely chuckled. "I wouldn't take that tone of voice, Kyrik." He used his foot to nudge a limp form.  
  
Anger turned into horror as the form rolled over to reveal my youngest daughter, Elodie. "What have you done, you monster?" Now that I was standing a few yards away, I could see my wife and other daughter, both sitting at his feet, bound, gagged, and sobbing. Elodie, however, was unmistakably dead.  
  
"I wouldn't make threats, if I were you." Dakid sneered, and held up his hand. In it was a silver knife, already stained with the rust of dried blood.  
  
"You... you wouldn't." I stammered, feeling the color draining out of my face.  
  
"Oh, but wouldn't I?" He grinned suddenly, a maniacal grin that seemed to light up his features, though not in a good way. "You have no clue what I'm capable of!" He lunged suddenly, picking up the small form of Alexis.  
  
"Daddy!" She sobbed, regardless of the gags that muffled her speech. Dakid pressed the blade to her throat, digging until he drew blood.  
  
"Let go of her!" I practically screamed. "Is this how far you've sunk, that you'd attack innocent children?"  
  
Dakid smirked, and pressed harder. I will never forget Alexis's scream. It pierced through the morning like the knife at her throat, freezing the very blood that ran through my immortal veins. The blood dripped slowly off of her pale neck, and on to tanned fingers. Dakid looked momentarily surprised, but that was gone in an instant. He lifted the hand up to his mouth, and lapped hungrily at the blood. He was drinking the blood of my daughter, whom he had just murdered cruelly. He was drinking my daughter's blood.  
  
My girls were gone. Even though they were vampires, immortal like their parents, vampires can be killed. Not by a normal weapon though. Silver would definitely kill us, but anything else would heal soon enough.  
  
I glared at the vampire in front of me. Big mistake: he still had my wife. Before my widened eyes, he bent over once more, and then, my wife was gone. Everybody who I'd ever truly cared for, gone within a matter of minutes. Shock hit me like an anvil, or perhaps it was only the blade he threw at me.  
  
It dug deep into my chest, and he giggled. Giggled! He giggled at me, lying in the dust as the life seeped out of my being. How dare he giggle?  
  
I glared at him. "You haven't seen the last of me. Out of my pocket, I pulled out a wooden box. Inside were the pieces to a puzzle that my father had given me. I was going to give it to one of my girls, but they were gone. Instead, I summoned the last bit of strength I had, and sealed my soul within it. As my body died, the pieces scattered and flew away. I knew nothing more.  
  
~~~End Flashback~~~  
  
I pushed the thoughts of the past away, angry with myself for dwelling in it. I left the room, still fuming, to hunt for the first time since I had been sealed away.  
  
(Later)  
  
I crouched on the rooftop during the pre-dawn hours. Nobody could see me, as the moon was but a sliver in the sky. Not that there was anybody who bothered looking up. The few people that went by this area were hurriedly getting home, as if they sensed the danger that was nearby. If only they knew.  
  
I almost chuckled to myself as I found the perfect victim. Strolling casually, he didn't appear to be nervous at all. He looked to be in good shape, which would be easier for me. The chubby ones had problems getting their heart to pump blood, and I ended up only getting a few mouthfuls. Even the stage was set, as the street was suddenly deserted but for this one ignorant man.  
  
I leapt with ease, the muscles in my back legs propelling me forward and on to the street. I landed behind him with a soft thud, purposely made to alert the man.  
  
"Huh?" He turned around and found himself face to face with a crouching shadow, ready to strike. I pushed him against the wall of the nearest building. "Who... who are you?" He stammered, finally becoming afraid. His heart was hammering in his chest. I grinned, revealing a set of pearly fangs, which glistened in the moonlight. I knew how he felt, more than he could have imagined, but that wasn't going to stop me from feeding.  
  
"Is that really important?" I asked, voice taking on a conversational tone. Before he could respond, I plunged the fangs into his neck, finding his vein effortlessly. He didn't even have a chance to scream.  
  
The tangy, metallic taste of blood mixed with the salty taste of sweat. I drank to my heart's content, knowing that I didn't have to leave any within the man. I wasn't planning on creating another vampire that might contest the food supply. I was merely hunting, and this was a complete kill.  
  
A few moments later, the drained body slumped against the wall as I leapt back towards the game shop, casting an invisibility spell so that no probing eyes might see my figure in the brightening dawn. 


	4. New Friends, New Feelings

Chapter 4: New Friends, New Feelings  
  
Author's Note: It's me again. You know, the girl who _doesn't_ own Yugioh? Right. Anyways, Angel Reaper, Yami is an Egyptian. I never said he wasn't! I merely not mention that he was. His father was the pharaoh, and had the puzzle, and gave it to Yami. And, yes, vampires are supposed to be weakened by sunlight, but we'll just say that that's not true. Now, on with the story!  
  
(Third Person Perspective)  
  
Since Yami had crouched so long in waiting for his prey, and since Yami had went quite far as to not attract attention to Yugi, it took him quite some time before he returned to the game shop. By the time he did, it was morning, and Yugi already had some friends over, and they were talking in his room. The vampire landed without a sound on the roof, and listened to their conversation.  
  
"And then, I solved the puzzle!" Yugi was saying happily, showing off the completed pyramid. "But the weird thing is... somebody came out of it."  
  
"Huh?" Joey asked stupidly.  
  
"I said: somebody came out of the puzzle!"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, there was this guy, his name is Yami, and he came out and talked to me! But then he and Grandpa got into a big fight, because apparently Grandpa is a vampire hunter, but Yami is a vampire."  
  
There was silence in the room as the others blinked. "Yugi, do you have a fever?" Tea asked, a note of concern in her voice."  
  
From the roof, Yami grinned. It seemed that Yugi already had nice friends, who could take care of him. At least, that's the way it seemed from Yugi's memories.  
  
It's time to help Yugi out... Slipping his way into the house, he crept upstairs and opened the door to Yugi's bedroom. Yugi's friends stared at the latest arrival in shock.  
  
Yami smirked. "Can I join the party?"  
  
Over the years, before his family had been horrifically killed, Yami had worked hard to develop his vampiric skills. And though his did not match those of the creep he wanted to use his powers on, he was close.  
  
However, the puzzle that Yami had been sealed within was more than a resting place for his soul. Because the puzzle was none other than the fabled Millennium Puzzle, it had magic powers that were very useful. Since the puzzle was connected to Yami, he was able to put a simple spell on it, so that once it was solved, it would grant its powers to Yami, therefore making him a worthy match for Dakid.  
  
So it was a sheer stroke of brilliance when Yami had sealed his soul away, because now that his loved ones were gone, he only had one purpose: to destroy Dakid. If the puzzle was never solved, he could never be stronger than Dakid, and have no purpose of living. but he wouldn't be living anyways.  
  
Yami shushed his thoughts hurriedly, though allowing the sense of triumph to remain. He had, after all gained his skills. It wouldn't be long... Not long at all...  
  
~~~Flashback~~~  
  
Blackness.  
  
Blackness.  
  
Blackness.  
  
Blackness.  
  
There was nothing but blackness within the Millennium Puzzle. The blackness was overwhelming, driving into Yami's mind, pounding, pounding...  
  
Yami couldn't take it anymore, but he had to! There was nothing he could do to make it stop, nothing he could do to make the blackness go away.  
  
And then, the blackness was gone. Yami blinked. He was in a foggy place, and he still couldn't see, but this was different. The fog was white. He wasn't alone. There were people, but... not so people-like. (AAAAHHH!!!! I really don't want to contest my Christian religion by making Gods, but I need somebody who's in control of things! I'm just going to use the Egyptian gods, but we'll just remember that I don't believe in them! Don't send me to Hell! Please!)  
  
"Oh, Ra. Where am I now?" Yami muttered, using a common expression used by Egyptians. (Sort of like "Oh my God!")  
  
"He's talking to you!" A woman in white robes said, looking up at man sitting on a throne.  
  
"Of course not, Isis. He's just confused." Another man next to the woman said, putting an arm around her.  
  
"Oh, ok. But, shouldn't we explain things now?"  
  
The man, in response, nodded at the first man, still sitting on his throne, who was beginning to speak. "Welcome, Yami."  
  
Yami, by now, figured that he'd totally lost it from spending so much time in the darkness, didn't say a word.  
  
A boy with a hawk-head spoke up. "Dad, why isn't he listening?"  
  
The man with his arm around Isis (too many men) shushed the boy.  
  
"Yami, are you going to listen to us? You are not insane. We have merely called you up to discus some important issues." The man on the throne spoke up again.  
  
"Ok." Yami now _knew_ he was crazy, but he figured he might as well play along. "What do we have to talk about? And, by the way, who are you?"  
  
"I am Ra." The throne-man said.  
  
"I'm Osiris." Added the person with his arms around Isis.  
  
"I'm Isis." Guess who!  
  
"And I'm Horus." The only boy smiled.  
  
Yami blinked. And then, he blinked again. "You're gods?"  
  
They all smiled and nodded, before Ra got back on task again. "Anyways, the matters we have to discuss are quite important. See, a young boy has found your puzzle, and we believe he has the potential to solve it, with a boost from us, of course. We are willing to give him that boost, and release you in the process, but you have to agree to certain terms."  
  
"What kind of terms?"  
  
"Well, you see, your old enemy, Dakid, is ready to strike again. He wants to destroy the boy who has your puzzle, because our sources say that he will be vital to earth's future. This means that we cannot let him destroy the boy. This is where you come in. We want you to protect the boy in return for being released from your prison. Is it a deal?"  
  
Yami paused. This was too good to be true! He would be released from the puzzle, and have a chance to get Dakid. "Of course." The gods smiled and nodded some more, as they faded away, leaving Yami in the darkness again.  
  
~~~End flashback~~~  
  
Dakid would come, that was certain. He would try to do something to harm Yugi. Involuntarily, Yami shuddered, though by default, he kept the shudder inward. What if I can't save Yugi? What if I screw up? What if once more, Dakid manages to destroy the one I lo- What? Where did that come from? I wasn't about to say... nah...  
  
Yami once again snapped his attention to reality, where only about five seconds had passed with him spacing out. Everybody, except for Yugi, was looking exceptionally pale, and the same thoughts were running through their minds.  
  
Yami's real? If Yugi was right about that, and he said that Yami was a vampire, then... oh, shit...  
  
"I don't bite. Oh wait, I do." Yami smirked, allowing one fang to peek out.  
  
"Yami! Be nice!" Yugi complained. "You're scaring them!"  
  
"I'm sorry." I hid the fang again. "Better?"  
  
The color had begun to return to Yugi's friend's faces. "Hi! My name's Joey." A blond haired kid finally said.  
  
"Nice to meet you." I smiled, but stopped myself midway to keep from re- revealing the fangs.  
  
"I'm Tristan. Do you really suck people's blood?"  
  
I grinned in spite of myself. "See the fangs?"  
  
Tea, who had begun to introduce herself, jerked her hand back midway.  
  
"Don't worry. I won't eat you, since you're Yugi's friends."  
  
The rest sighed with relief and all began talking at once.  
  
"How do you suck people's blood?"  
  
"Don't you turn into a pile of dust in sunlight?"  
  
"How come you look like Yugi?"  
  
I sighed, but inwardly, I was glad to have friends again. 


	5. Old Enemies, Old Hatred

Chapter 5: Old Enemies, Old Hatred  
  
Author's Note: Yugioh is not mine. How sad.  
  
Oh my goodness! I have some reviews! Well, to answer some of them:  
  
Blue Diamond: Don't worry! Yugi will never be hurt too much in my stories, as he _is_ my favorite character! ^^  
  
Angel Reaper: Oh, that's okay! I just didn't make it too clear, that's all. Right, Egyptians don't believe in vampires, which is why Yami didn't realize that a pair of long, pointy teeth meant "blood-sucking fiend".  
  
I'm not quite sure what Anata is getting at, whether it's a flame or not (all laugh and point at the authoress who's too slow to figure it out), but sorry if I offended anybody with that whole deity thing. I don't usually like to include religion, but that was an exception.  
  
Chibizoo: No, you did not offend me. ^^ I will continue to the best of my limited abilities, so no problem there!  
  
****  
  
(Yami's Perspective)  
  
"Now, I've gotcha!" Joey yelled, catapulting himself towards me. Easily, I stepped aside, causing him to miss and collide with Tristan.  
  
"Hey! Watch it!" An annoyed Tristan muttered.  
  
"You watch it!" Joey replied. Ooh. great comeback.  
  
I shook my head and sat next to Bakura, and we watched their crazy antics together. The white-haired boy seemed a bit unnerved by having a vampire sitting next to him, and visibly inched away.  
  
(A few weeks later, I know I'm bad by skipping a lot, but it's boring!)  
  
"Good night, Yugi."  
  
"'Night Yami." The sleepy boy replied with a yawn, already sinking into unconsciousness. I shook my head. It seemed forever ago that I had been locked up within a puzzle with nothing but the blackness for company, yet I couldn't quite forget my past, especially my last day.  
  
Maybe the gods were wrong. Perhaps Dakid wasn't coming for Yugi. After all, it had already been a month since I was released, and there was no sign of him. Dakid wasn't even near, or I would have felt his aura.  
  
I looked down at the sleeping child on the bed. He was merely a child, after all. He definitely didn't deserve the fate of my family, not that they deserved it, either. He had his whole life ahead of him.  
  
Shrugging, I brushed these thoughts from my mind. What would come would come, and I could only hope to be there to protect the boy. He seemed like much more than a child I was obligated to protect. He seemed like a friend, a part of my family, even like one of my own children.  
  
I withdrew to my puzzle once more, not letting such thoughts haunt me, and instead, fell asleep.  
  
"Daddy!" Alexis's muffled cry rang out through the night.  
  
"Alexis? Alexis, where are you?" I called, blindly scrambling. The darkness was suffocating, choking. I couldn't see a thing.  
  
"Daddy! Help me!" Alexis shrieked.  
  
I ran on.  
  
"Daddy." Elodie's voice sounded dull and flat. "Why didn't you save me?"  
  
"Elodie?"  
  
"You let him kill me! If you had come home just a little bit later, you could have saved me!" She continued to wail.  
  
"But. but how could I have known?" I protested, feeling the waves of guilt wash through me.  
  
"You should have come earlier." I could hear her anguished sobs.  
  
"But-"  
  
"Daddy!" Alexis's yells were audible again. "HEEELLPPPP M-" The yells were abruptly cut off.  
  
"Alexis?"  
  
"Yami!"  
  
"Clara???"  
  
"Yami! Come save us! Your wife and daughters are depending on you!"  
  
I was totally confused. What was going on? I suddenly felt an aura, even though I wasn't testing for one. Only a very strong aura could do that, and that meant.  
  
"Dakid?"  
  
"Yami! Help!" Clara screamed once more.  
  
"I'm trying to, but I don't know where you are!" My voice rose a couple of octaves with panic. A scream shattered the night, only to die off abruptly. "Clara?"  
  
Suddenly, the gloom was lifted, and I could see clearly each member of my family. "You let us die." Alexis whispered, eyes wide and unseeing.  
  
"No, I didn't." I protested.  
  
"But you did. Why didn't you stop him?" Clara asked, with the air of someone who was betrayed.  
  
"I couldn't have! There was nothing I could have done."  
  
"Daddy! We trusted you!" Elodie whined, the hatred in her innocent voice shattering my heart.  
  
"No, I didn't, I didn't." I feebly muttered, barely believing myself.  
  
The ones that I had loved before inched closer, the looks on their faces no longer hurt, but malicious. "Now, you will pay!"  
  
"What? But. it wasn't my fault, I." I couldn't believe they would hate me. I hadn't meant to let them get killed, but. "IT WASN'T MY FAULT!!" I half screamed, half sobbed. "Forgive me."  
  
I woke with a start. "Wha-?" It had been a dream! All a dream! I nearly wept with relief. But. something was wrong. Why can I still sense his aura? That's not possible, unless. "Dakid is here!" 


	6. Duel!

Chapter 6: Duel!  
  
Author's Note: I figured that since Yugioh is almost completely based on the card game, I might as well include a duel. Unfortunately, I have never dueled before. This will really show when you read my duel scenes, so be forewarned! This time, though, I'm actually taking time to research the cards to make sure that they actually exist, and that they have the right point amount. All stats found at Pojo.com. By the way, I don't own Yugioh. Don't sue me.  
  
(Still Yami's Perspective, just to remind you)  
  
I left the darkness of the puzzle to find that it wasn't much better outside. The moon was hidden somewhere in the cloudy sky, and the only source of light was a street light half a block away.  
  
"Yugi?" I couldn't see where he was, or where I was, for that matter. Stumbling around a bit, I was able to deduce that we were in his back yard, but where was he? I felt a shiver go down my spine. This was too much like my dream.  
  
"Yami. So nice of you to come." A voice that sounded all too familiar greeted me. The clouds shifted, sending a single beam of pale moonlight down. It fell directly upon my archrival.  
  
"Dakid." I growled. "I can finally take my revenge." My hand rested on the Millennium Puzzle around my neck. (Ok. That's kind of confusing. I'm going to say that Yugi has the puzzle, but when Yami comes out, he also gets his own puzzle.)  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He stepped to the left, so that the ray of light fell to his right arm, and the struggling Yugi it held on to.  
  
"Let him go!" My voice sounded with more confidence then I had.  
  
"Why should I do that?" Why should he? I had to think quickly, before he got bored and proceeded with his plan.  
  
"Because..." I blurted out. "Because you can't beat me." Seeing the disbelieving look in his eyes, I continued quickly. "Sure, if you lied and cheated in the dark, you could, but if you tried to fight me with honor and justice, I would win. To prove this, I challenge you to a shadow game! If you're really nothing but deceit and falsehoods, lets see you beat me in a duel." My legs felt like rubber beneath me, threatening to give out at any second, but I kept my façade of calmness.  
  
He chuckled. "All right then. Let's duel." (Major Cliché!)  
  
"Shadow Realm!" I called out, focusing on the magic of my puzzle. To my surprise, the Shadow Realm was actually lighter than the back yard. Go figure. "Shall we use the cards?" I asked, pulling out my deck.  
  
"Sure, why not?" Dakid sounded bored, though I could see through his mask. He was beginning to feel nervous. The Shadow Realm had that effect on everybody. Except on those of the royal blood... like me. I grinned at my advantage.  
  
We sat at a small table the realm had prepared for us, handing our decks to the other to shuffle. He had obviously acquired a deck lately (duh), and had probably supplied it with monsters that he had used back before they were imprisoned within the cards. I racked my brain, trying to think of what cards he might have. Dark type cards, of course. Mostly fiends, but he also had some others, like dragons.  
  
I didn't get much chance for thinking, because before I knew it, He was handing me my deck. "Wait." I said suddenly. "What are we wagering on this duel?"  
  
He looked taken aback. "Wagering? We are wagering nothing."  
  
I arched an eyebrow. "Don't tell me that the almighty Dakid is afraid."  
  
Glowering at that comment, Dakid bared his fangs. "I am not afraid!"  
  
"Then prove it. Prove that you're not afraid of me by betting something, because otherwise, I find it hard to believe that you think you even have a chance of winning."  
  
"Fine. I bet the boy." The boy, as he so politely called Yugi, suddenly appeared next to our table, in a chair the realm had conjured up for him. His violet eyes were wide with fright and confusion.  
  
"Yugi, don't worry." I motioned to the vampire across from me. "Dakid and I are going to duel. It's the only way I can save you." That reassured him.  
  
"Save me?" His eyes widened.  
  
"This is what I was sent to protect you from." I told him.  
  
"Enough of this idle chitchat!" Dakid snapped. "What are you wagering?"  
  
I froze. What was I wagering? What could I wager that wouldn't cause Dakid to withdraw his offer? My gaze caught abruptly on the puzzle swinging slowly on Yugi's neck. Could I wager that? It was my only hope of ever avenging all those deaths... if I lost it, I could never hope to defeat him.  
  
I shook my head. I wouldn't lose. I couldn't. There was so much at stake, Yugi, my pride, revenge for what he did to my family all those years ago.  
  
"Fine. I wager my Millennium Puzzle."  
  
Dakid grinned. "Duel!"  
  
We gave each other's decks back, and we drew. My five cards were the Celtic Guardian, the Curse of Dragon, Negate, Multiply, and the Polymerization card. I frowned slightly, but said nothing.  
  
My opponent, however, seemed to have gotten a good hand. "I play the Witty Phantom, in attack mode, and I also lay this card face down." His summoned monster appeared on the field, and its stats, 1400/1300, glowed faintly, before fading away. (I just wanted to write in the stats before I forgot them. -_-")  
  
"I play the Celtic Guardian, to match your monster's attack points." I placed the elf's card down. "Attack!" The Celtic Guardian ran at the Witty Phantom.  
  
"Not quite." Dakid flipped over his magic card. "I played the Yami card, which increases the attack and defense points of all fiend type monsters on the field, raising my Witty Phantom's attack to sixteen hundred points." He laughed as my life points went down to 1800.  
  
The next monster Dakid laid down was face down. He made no comment about it, leaving me guessing at what it could possibly be. I drew a card, the Dark Magician. 'Good card.' I thought to myself.  
  
'Which card is it?'  
  
"GAH!" I yelled out loud. Dakid stared at me as if I was insane, which I probably was. "Nothing." I muttered. Now, not only was I dueling in the most important duel of my life, I was hearing voices inside my head. I cleared my head of such thoughts and turned my attention back to the game. I couldn't risk my Dark Magician until I knew what card Dakid put down. "Curse of Dragon! In attack mode!" The dragon attacked to reveal the Dark Titan of Terror, a fiend type. It's 1100 defense points were risen to 1300 from the Yami card, but it was still no match for my dragon. I smiled as my opponent's life points lowered to 1300.  
  
'Great job!' My eyes bulged out a bit, but I didn't say a word. I was going crazy! "I play Summoned Skull, in attack mode!" The newest fiend appeared on the field, its attack and defense rising from 2500/1200 to 2700/1200. "Attack!" My Curse of Dragon plummeted, and with it, my life points. I was now at 1100.  
  
I drew another card, the Petit Dragon. Wincing at my poor luck, I placed it down in defense mode. It was demolished instantly. Then, it was my turn again. This time, I managed to draw a better card. "Summoned Skull, also in attack mode! And also, this card, face down. Attack the Witty Phantom!" Dakid was at 400 life points. Summoned Skull faced Summoned Skull, each glowering moodily at each other.  
  
Dakid drew, and smiled. "Final Flame. This card inflicts 600 points of direct damage to my opponent." Now, I was at 500 life points, still better than Dakid. "I will also play a card face down. Now, Summoned Skull! Attack!" (I'm actually not sure what happens when the monsters are evenly matched, but I'll just say that they both die. ^^")  
  
I suddenly saw my chance. "Dark Magician!" I plaid my favorite card, knowing that he had to monsters to protect his life points. Unfortunately, the card he laid face down was Waboku, which caused the Dark Magician's attack to fail.  
  
"I play the Man-Eating Treasure Chest." The attack and defense rose from 1600/1000 to 1800/1200 because it was yet another fiend. "I also play Sparks, which does 200 points of direct damage to your life points."  
  
"Right back at you." I muttered, playing the card that I drew next, another Sparks card. I destroyed the Man-Eating Treasure Chest, but did no damage, since it was in defense mode.  
  
As Dakid drew his next card, he smirked. 'This cannot be good.'  
  
'I know!' The voice inside my head replied.  
  
'Who is that?'  
  
'Me!'  
  
I jumped, not expecting a reply. 'Who's me?'  
  
'Yugi!'  
  
'Yugi? But... how?'  
  
'I dunno. Don't ask me.'  
  
'The Puzzle!'  
  
'What about it?'  
  
'It links us together, because you solved it!'  
  
'Oh. Ok!'  
  
Having figured out one problem, I turned my attention back to the duel, where Dakid played his next monster. "Tri-Horned Dragon!" The very rare dragon appeared on the field, its stats at 2850/2350.  
  
'Uh-oh.'  
  
"I'll also add a magic card, Dragon Flame." (Ah! I can't find a magic card that will do what I need it to do, so I made up one... again! Just for the sake of this fic, pretend that Dragon Flame is a real card, and when equipped to a dragon, it raises its stats by 150 points.) That brought the Tri-Horned Dragon's attack power all the way up to 3000 points. "Now, Tri- Horned Dragon! Attack!"  
  
I quickly flipped over my Negate card to buy some time, but that's all it did: buy time. How long could I last against a powered up Tri-Horned Dragon? 


	7. Enemy?

Chapter 7: Enemy?  
  
Author's Note: Yugioh is sadly not mine.  
  
Sorry to cut everybody off at that point in the last chapter, but I had to, or else I couldn't have gotten the chapter up yesterday, because I didn't have time!  
  
Angel Reaper: Yugi is special because Yugi is Yugi. In other words, I have absolutely no idea why Yugi is so special. It just kind of fits in with the plot. Somehow, Yugi will change the world, if that answers your question. As for the other question, read on and find out! I'm pretty sure you will find out in this chapter, but as of now, I haven't written it yet, so I really can't be sure.  
  
Chibizoo: I can't believe you think I'm talented! *Has a heart attack and dies* I've been worshipping your stories, though not reviewing them (I don't quite know why, I guess I'll review today!), and here you go, saying I'm talented! *Blabs on and on about this for the rest of the day and forgets the plot*  
  
Anyways, big thanks to everybody who reviewed! I'll be mentioning your names next chapter, I think. I haven't written this stuff yet, so I don't know when the last chapter will be!  
  
(Still Yami's Perspective)  
  
I was at 300 life points, with my Dark Magician out on the field. Unfortunately, Dakid, though only at 200 life points, had a Tri-Horned Dragon out, with 3000 attack points from the power-up he put on it. It was my move.  
  
'Don't worry, Yami. You can do it!'  
  
'Thanks, Yugi, now shush.' My reply wasn't exactly nice, but I really needed to concentrate, especially since this next draw could win me the game, or cause me to lose. I carefully placed a hand on my deck, whispering a quick prayer to whichever gods would care to listen. Finally, I drew.  
  
I held the card in my hand, halfway between deck and eyes, but I couldn't bring myself to look at it. What if it was worthless? What if this one card lost the duel, and all that I fought for? I sat frozen for a good five minutes or so.  
  
'Yami? Are you all right?'  
  
'No.' I replied flatly.  
  
'Yami, don't worry. Just look at the card! Come on.'  
  
I licked my lips, and brought the card further up, so that I could see which card it was. The first thing I saw was a pair of glowing pink orbs. Eyes. Between those was a large purple sword. My own eyes widened. This was perfect!  
  
"I equip my Dark Magician with the Sword of Deep-Seated! This adds 500 attack points, raising my Dark Magician to match your Tri-Horned Dragon!" This was going well. At least I'd get the over-powerful dragon off the field. wait! My mouth suddenly twisted into a smirk. "But that's not all. The Yami card that's still in play not only raises the attack and defense points of fiend type monsters, but also spellcasters. This means that my Dark Magician gets a field power bonus, raising it 200 points above your Tri-Horned Dragon. I win."  
  
"What? But that's impossible!" Dakid managed to say after opening and closing his mouth soundlessly a few times. Suddenly, he shut his open mouth, and it turned instantly to a sour frown. "Well, even if I didn't beat you, you can't stop me from my plan!" Without further warning, he grabbed Yugi, who had been sitting on the chair with a slightly stunned, but happy expression on his face.  
  
Dakid held Yugi up by the back of his neck, fingers digging into the bottom of Yugi's skull. The said captive whimpered in pain, causing Dakid to smirk. From somewhere within the folds of his cloak, he pulled out a blade, not silver, as Yugi was not a vampire, which he pressed to Yugi's neck.  
  
"Make any move to stop me, and the boy will be dead."  
  
'Yami! Help!' Yugi pleaded. I froze, eyes wide, as I remembered all too clearly my dream, and my past.  
  
Dakid seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. "Yes, Kyrik. (I know he should have used that name before, but I forgot. Sorry!) Once again, you have failed to protect the ones you care for." He laughed. "How does that feel?"  
  
Time stopped. My mind went completely blank, not thinking of a solution to my problem, as it should have, but rather remembering the time that I had failed before. "You've failed again." A voice seemed to echo again. "You're a failure. Failure. Failure."  
  
'No, no, no, I'm not!' I thought back at it. 'No.' And suddenly, my head cleared. The voices pounding through my head went silent, and all of a sudden, I could think again. That's when I realized: I was being stupid. I hadn't failed yet.  
  
I quietly called on the powers of the Millennium Puzzle, digging into its furthest recesses for any amount of magic I could get. All the warning Dakid got was the faintest glow emitting from both pendants, hanging from Yugi's neck, as well as mine, before I attacked. The best way to describe it is that I pushed. I shoved the magic at Dakid, relying on it to do as much damage as possible. It did.  
  
With a cry, Dakid dropped the knife, luckily away from Yugi, and it landed on the ground with a clatter. Dakid sunk to the ground beside it, clutching his head, abdomen, arms, and just about every body part in agony, freeing Yugi in the process. Yugi scuttled out of the way, and stared from me to Dakid, then turned his gaze back to me again.  
  
"What did you _do_?"  
  
I shrugged, not quite sure of it myself, and turned my attention back to the struggling form on the ground. Dakid was obviously in a lot of pain. What was I supposed to do with him now? It didn't seem right to kill a helpless boy, which he was. Despite all the time that he's been alive, his body was frozen as that of a boy, and as I suspected, his mind, also. Of course, he had killed my two daughters while they were helpless, but was it really right to sink down to his level?  
  
Dakid tilted his head up, and fixed his gaze on mine. He coughed a little, and blood began trickling out of the corner of his mouth. "Don't kill me." He whispered. "Please, don't kill me."  
  
I stared. He really was a pitiful sight, but had he shown pity for all the people he'd killed? "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't!" I demanded with a scowl, mainly to cover up the fact that I was unsure.  
  
"I... you... you can do anything that you want with me, just don't end my life. I worked hard to earn this life, so hard..."  
  
"You earned it?"  
  
He nodded feebly. "Yes, and when I gave it to you, as a gift, you despised me for it. Why?"  
  
"You... you... what?"  
  
"You were the only one who would befriend me, and I felt so grateful to you that I gave you the gift that I'd paid so dearly for. But, you, far from being grateful back to me, you hated me, as if I'd given you a curse."  
  
"But, you killed me! I would have been human, if not for you."  
  
Shock suddenly came to his eyes. "Is that really how you think of it?" He laughed harshly. "The one who made me a vampire gave his right hand for what you got for nothing. I spent two years as his slave for him to pass it on to me. You paid nothing! I've seen humans give up the rest of their lives, only to have one free day as a vampire. You were never grateful, though." He closed his eyes, as if deep in memory. "No, you never were. I felt it my duty to discipline you, and I took your family."  
  
"You shouldn't have brought my family into this!" I said, voice weak, and knees to match.  
  
"Your wife also got the gift for free. Some vampire or another went feeding, and got killed right in the middle, leaving his victim one of us. And your children? They did nothing! All they had to do was be born, and they were vampires. It wasn't fair!"  
  
I suddenly saw Dakid for who he was. He wasn't a bloodthirsty killer, or an evil psychopath. He was merely a boy who wanted to be a vampire, and did anything he could to achieve it. Unfortunately for him, others around him were getting the "gift" for free. I certainly could not have stood that if it happened to me. Even if his reaction was a bit drastic, his actions were within reason.  
  
Even so, I had no clue what to do with him. I wanted desperately to do the right thing, but what seemed clear just a moment ago was terribly blurry.  
  
"Yami?" Came the whisper, so quiet, that at first, I didn't hear it. "Yami?"  
  
"Huh?" I asked. Looking down, I discovered that Yugi wanted my attention.  
  
"Yami, you aren't going to kill him, are you?"  
  
I opened my mouth. And I closed it again. Once more opening it, I uttered, "Why not? He almost killed you. He killed my entire family. And he's not even sorry!"  
  
"How do you know? Maybe he is sorry."  
  
Both of us turned to look at Dakid, who nodded. "I am."  
  
"Doesn't he deserve a second chance?"  
  
I looked between the two of them for a moment, before nodding. "Alright, then." I reached down to heal Dakid, at least so that he was well enough to walk. I still didn't trust him. "Come on then, Dakid."  
  
He didn't move. "Thanks, Yami." He finally said, before getting up and joining us in our departure from the shadow realm.  
  
Author's Notes (Once More): Ok, this time, he meant to say Yami! Ha! I didn't make a mistake. Okay, there's probably going to be one more chapter, and epilogue-type thing, where I'll do a bit more of a conclusion, then I'll list the people that reviewed. Thanks in advance, all of you! And I really can't believe I'm almost done with this fic, as well. 


	8. Epilogue and Credits

Epilogue and Credits  
  
Author's Note: Not a lot of people reviewed for this fic, so I decided to thank all the people who did. Thanks go out to:  
  
-Anata  
  
-Angel Reaper  
  
-Blue Diamond  
  
-Chibizoo  
  
-Icyblue  
  
-Mary  
  
-Sarina Fannel  
  
-Yami-chan  
  
-Yami-kun (same person?)  
  
And special thanks go to Ginny, for reviewing most of my stories. You rock, gal!  
  
  
  
(Dakid's Perspective)  
  
Alone. Cold. Tired. Pain. Pain. Pain. Black.  
  
I opened my eyes to find myself in a neatly furnished room. I was lying on a bed. It was soft. I was in a room. I was in a real room, and I hadn't broken in to feed. I was lying on a real bed. When was the last time this had happened? I closed my eyes again, and tried to think. Never.  
  
I reopened my eyes, and got up with a groan. "What... happened?"  
  
Images. Thousands of little pictures flashed back at me. Two guys. They both looked about the same. Me. I was holding the smaller boy. Kyrik... Yami... whoever he was, attacking me. Pain. Pain. Pain.  
  
The memories flooded back, from so long ago, when I first got the gift, to last night, when the two look-alikes brought me to this room. So many memories. The blood began to pound in my ears, creating a drumming sound. A massive headache erupted, causing me to clutch at my head in agony.  
  
And through it all, there was the pain.  
  
The pain was only the aftermath, though, for which I was grateful. Just last night, it had been triply powerful, barely allowing me to gasp for breath. Unfortunately, it was still there: a dull, throbbing ache traveling up my entire body.  
  
I got up stiffly, and made my way to the door. Locked. They didn't trust me. Why should they trust me? Did I trust myself? No.  
  
Why did I do all that? I looked down at my hands. A dark stain ran down my left, dark for more reasons than color. I recalled the look of horror on Yami's face as the blood trickled onto my hand. Why had I done it? Why? I wasn't thinking. That's why. Gee. Great excuse: I wasn't thinking.  
  
I shook my head, causing the pounding to begin again. I fell to the bed with a grunt, letting the peaceful blackness take the pains away.  
  
Author's Note: Aw... I have major writer's block, but I'm sure you can imagine an ending for yourself. This is basically what's happening now, but you can have Yugi and Yami finally trust him, and everybody's happy. Or, you can have a sad ending. Whatever you want! I just have nothing left to write! 


End file.
